A Little History, And Some Thoughts On Fixing Up Your Roof

Ah the humble roof. You really don’t notice it until there’s a problem, but did you ever consider the history of that mundane object that keeps the rain out of your house? There’s a lot that’s changed between the earliest innovations in roofing and the sort of work that Nashville roofing contractors do on your home in 2013.

Way back before there was such a thing as Nashville remodeling, there were thatch roofs. Then a few hundred years later, wooden shingles. There’s no way a modern Nashville contractor would use wooden shingles as a default, but at the time (meaning around 1,000 A.D.) this material resisted dampness and leaks much better than thatch roofs ever had. And some contemporary Nashville roofing specialists will still install wood shake roofing if it’s specially ordered, as long as the client understands that it’s going to take a good deal of extra maintenance to avoid rot and decay.

In the early years of the American colonies, slate tiles became a common roofing material, but this too has gone by the wayside (for the most part). These have been replaced largely by composition roofing, which originates with Samuel and Cyrus Warren’s 19th century discovery that coal tar left over from the gas industry was ideal for sealing roofs against water. This material is still among the most common used for Nashville roofing, along with ceramic or synthetic tile and sheet metal or metal tile.

There’s also the need to fix up your building with good Nashville gutters, which have their own interesting history. What gutters do is actually part of the function served by the gargoyles of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Although they’re supposed to have warded off evil spirits, it’s also a sure thing that they served the purpose of directing rainwater away from important parts of the structure. The average Nashville roofing contractor may not be eager to install gargoyles all over your house. They will, however, be plenty willing to fix up your gutter system to prevent precipitation from collecting all over your house and causing damage.

Our Mission:

To educate you on how to get involved in home improvement projects. Our home improvement tips and tricks will help you learn what to do when it comes time to remodeling your home; our valuable information will help to guide you through your home improvement projects, so that you’ll have your dream home.